Clasp for holding articles



Feb. 7, 1956 D. K. COPELL INVENTOR DAN/5L A. 60/ 621 ATTORNEY United States Patent CLASP FOR HOLDING ARTICLES Daniel K. Copell, New York, N. Y. Application August 1, 1951, Serial No. 239,785

7 Claims. (Cl. 24-255) This invention deals with a serviceable clasp to appropriately sustain diversified types of articles on a support adapted to carry the clasp. One object of the invention is to provide a reliable but resilient clasp which becomes distended and stressed when secured to the support. Another object is realized in utilizing the reactive thrust in the clasp pursuant to stressing thereof to hold the clasp resiliently closed and against the support. Another object is to provide a functionally and structurally improved clasp, preferably of rubber, normally contracted prior to securing thereof to the support and subsequently effectively elongated and tensioned after securing to the support. Another important object resides in the provision of a one piece angular shaped member of rubber to characterize compensatory components of the clasp wherein pursuant flattening or securing of the angular member, one of the components serves as effective fulcrum means while the other component characterizes a swingable arm normally held against the support but adapted to be desirably lifted for insertion of one or more articles under this arm to hold these articles against the support upon manual release of the arm which automatically retracts and swings relative to the fulcrum means but toward the support. Other important objects and functional and structural features of the invention will appear from the following detailed specification taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a side view of a clasp according to one embodiment of this invention but in a normally contracted relation prior to mounting thereof on a support.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the clasp illustrated in Fig. 1, but collapsed or flattened and carrying a removable shield for concealing the fastening means securing the clasp to the support.

Fig. 3 is a side view of Fig. 2 effectively illustrating the clasp grasping a box to hold the latter against the support.

Fig. 4 is another side view of the clasp shown in Fig. 2, however, partly broken away and in section to illustrate an article such as a pipe sustained against a support by the swingable arm of the clasp.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment in accordance with the invention but in its contracted or unstressed relation prior to mounting thereof on a support.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the clasp shown in Fig. 5,-

but in a distended or stressed relation.

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6 exhibiting the clasp holding a box against the support, and

Fig. 8 is another side view of Fig. 6 showing the clasp holding a smaller article against the support.

Illustrative of the embodiments disclosed, the clasp, generally designated C, is of suitable rubber and prior to mounting thereof, on a support S, is normally contracted as illustrated in Fig. 1 to provide a one piece angular member having its base B at an angle in respect to swingable arm A.

Base B is characterized by bore 10 for coacting with screw 11. The bottom face 12 is biased or inclined as 2,733,492 Patented Feb. 7, 1956 or gap 15.

Tooth T and biased lower face 12 are spaced apart by the reentrant chamber or groove 16.

By reason of screw 11, base B is fastened against support S and arm A is elongated or flattened out concomitantly appreciably stressed, thereby being normally urged against the support to be in a normally closed relation as illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein arm A is distended and defines spaced reduced portions 17 and 18 straddling tooth T and reenforcing rib 19.

With base B fastened to support S, arm A may be manually grasped and conveniently lifted away therefrom. By such action this arm swings relative to the integral hinge means F formed at the confluence of base B and arm A, and consequently a box 20 may be readily inserted under the arm and thereafter adequately clasped thereby against the support,(Fig. 2) upon manual release.

This action takes place due to the reactive thrust impelled by the resiliency of the rubber stock forming the clasp although the reduced or weakened portion 18 permits lip L to be tilted relative to reenforced rib 19 and weakened portion 18 allows the posterior part of arm A in back of tooth T to be flexed or tilted relative to fulcrum means F.

In Fig. 4 clasp C effectively but removably sustains the bowl of a tobacco smoking pipe TS to support S.

In the embodiment according to Figs. 5 to 8, the rubber clasp C is generally along the lines of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 although depending from the inner lower interrupted face thereof are a plurality of spaced teeth 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 defining appropriate gaps or slots as 35, 36, 37 and 38 for receiving small articles to be clasped against the support, for example, in Fig. 8 a pencil PC is shown partly within slot 37 and resiliently held against support S while in Fig. 7, the clasp holds box 20'.

' In all of the forms disclosed head H of the screw is confined in the channel 13 and if desired adequately concealed by the removable plate P firmly held in aligned notches 14.

In all of the forms disclosed, the clasp is preferably of rubber stock although adequately resilient to have appreciable reactive thrust pursuant to removal of manual pressure after lifting of the resilient arm thereof to permit the latter to automatically retract and firmly maintain the articles against the support.

In effect, the arm of the clasp in all the forms disclosed may be considered as arched and constitutes a cantilever normally stressed and therefore under tension due to the action of fastening means 11, which holds the arm collapsed and distended.

Biased face 12 permits base B to be tilted towards support S. Thus base B may be progressively tightened by screw 11 for controlling stress and strain imparted to arm A.

Briefly recapitulating, the arms A of each of the embodiments disclosed depends from the front end of its base and at an angle thereto, that is, these arms are normally out of alignment with the respective base of the clasps. Thus in each embodiment the arm may be swung upwardly in a direction initially away from the base which thereafter is secured to the support by the screw or threaded means. By such action the arm tends to flatten out under tension and eventually is substantially in alignment with the base although applying an appreciable thrust or force against the support to normally hold the clasp closed.

Various changes may .be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the ad- -vantages'; inherent therein.

.I claim:

1. A-resilient one piece clasp adapted toEbe' secured tto la support, ficornprising; la base, lan -arm integral and inorm'ally-routirof'z alinernent =withzand depend'ing-ifr'om the front part of said base and unstressed relative thereto, :said arm "and base at :the confluence th'ere'of constituting hinge means to :allow 'isaid arm .to be swung up- -wardly :and rearwardly inla direction'itowards said' base, -said:arm;having':tooth fmeans iextending ifrom the -inside iface thereof .and iincludin'g a Iterminal @lip spaced 5 from Esaid itooth :means, an'd :means to 'se'cure base to said support iand isi'rnultaneously sp'reading said armfor tenssionin'gfthe'reof to apply a rea'ctive thrustin-a-direction towards and against said support, said arm having a weakened portion tolfa'cilitate :lifting "of said lip to said toothrmeans.

.:2. 5A resilient one piece clasp' adapted to be secured ztoiaisupport, comprising; ab'ase, an 'arm integral and :normallvoutof alineme'nt with and depending from a the front part of said base an'd'unstressed relative thereto, said arm an'd base 'at the -confiuence thereof constituting hinge 'means 'to 'allow'said -arm to be swung upwardlyand rearwardly in a direction-towards said base, said arm 'having lip means atits front end and tooth ame'ans spaced from said lip means'and extending from the inside face of said'ar-m intermediate'said lip-means and' base, 'saidarm including spa'ced reduced portions leading away from said tooth means, and -means 'to isecure said base to said is'upport 'and simultaneously spreading sai'd arm to arrange the latter substantially in alinernent-with said base fortensioning of said arm to apply a reactive thrust 'therein in 'a *direction towards "said support, -saidspa'ced reduced portions constituting weakened 'means "to facilitate lifting of said -l-ip means relative to said tooth means 'and'said tooth means in respect to said base.

3.-A resi1ient 'o'ne piece clasp adapted'to be secured to a support, compromising; a base, an arm integral 'and normallyout of alinement with and depending from the front part of said base and unstressed relativethereto, said 'a'rm and base at the confluence thereof constituting h'ingemeans to allow saidarm'to be swung upwardly and rearwardly in a direction towards said base, said arm having lip means at its front end and tooth-means 'sp'a'ced' fror'n said lip 'me'ans'and extending from the inside faceof said arm intermediate said lip means and base, said'fa'ce including'a gap between'said tooth means and base and a gapbetween said tooth means and lip -means,'means to secure said base to said support'and simultaneously spreading' said arm to arrangethe latter substantially in -'alinement with said base for tensioning of said arm to-appl'yareactivethrust thereinin a direction' towards-said support, said arm above said gaps hav ing "reduced portions constituting weakened means intermediate said base and tooth means and intermediate saidt'oothmeans and lip means to'facilitate's winging a portion of said arm towards and'aw'ay from said base.

4. A 'r'esilientone piece-clasp "adapted to be "secured to a support, comprising; a base, an arm integral and normally-out of alinement with and depending from the front part of said base and unstressed relative thereto, said arm' and base-at the confiuence thereof "constituting hinge meansto allow said arm to be swung upwardly and rearwardly in a direction towards "said base, said arm havin'g'lip means 'at its front-"end 'andtooth means'extending from 'the'inside face of said arm intermediate .said lip means. and base, saidiace including spaced. gaps leading away from said tooth means, and means to secure said base to said support and simultaneously spreading said arm to arrange the latter substantially in alinement with said base for tensioning of said arm to apply a reactive thrust therein in a direction towards said support, said arm at the medialz-portions of said gaps defining spaced reduced weakened portions leading away from said tooth means tofacilitate-liftingof -said'lip means relative to said -tooth= means and said arm-relative to said base.

5. -A one'piece rubberelasp adapted to be secured to a support, comprising, a basehavinga bore, an arm integral and normally out of alinement with and depending from the front part of said base and unstressed relative thereto, said base having a biased lower surface adapted to be seated on said support and sloping upwardly and forwardly towards said arm, saidarmandbase at the confluencethereofconstituting hinge means to allow said arm to be swung upwardly and rearwardly in a direction towards said "base, "said arm having lip means at the front end 'andtoothmeans 'extendingfrom the inside 'face of said arm intermediate said lip means and base, said face including spaced gaps leading away from said tooth means, and -a screwhaving'a shankpassing into saidboreforfsecuring said surface at least in part to said suppott and simultaneously spreading said arm to'arran'geth'e latter substantially in'alinem'ent with said base'for'tensioning'ofisaidarm to applya reactive thrust therein-in a'direction 'towar'ds'said support, said arm having "spaced reduced portions constituting weakened means to facilitate lifting of'said lip means relative to said tooth'means'and said tooth means in respect 'to said. base.

'6. 'T he "clasp -accordin'gto claim 5 wherein said base 7. Aone ,piecerubb'er'clasp adapted to be securedto a support,'comp'rising; a base, an arm integral andnormally out of alineme'nt with anddependingfromthe front part of 'saidbaise and "unstressed-relative thereto, said arm and base'at'the confluence thereof constituting hinge means to allowisaid'armto"be swung upwardly and rearwardly'in a'dire'ction towards said base, said arm having'lip m'ea'ns"at its front end and having a plurality of spaced teeth'extendingfrom the inside face of said arm intermediatesaidlip means andbase, and means to secure'said base to'said-support-and simultaneously spreadin'g'said'arm to"a'rran'gethe latter substantially in alinement with said base for tensioning of said arm to apply area'ct'i've thrust'therein in a'direction'towards said'suppoi-t, said arm'having spaced reduced portions constituting weakened means to facilitate lifting of. saidlip means relative to said tooth means and said tooth means in respect to'isaid' base.

References Cited in the file of this :patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

